A switched-mode power converter typically comprises a high side (HS) switch and a low side (LS) switch which are arranged in series between a HS voltage and a LS voltage. The HS switch and the LS switch are closed in a mutually exclusive manner, in order to couple the midpoint between the HS switch and the LS switch, which is typically referred to as the Lx node, to the HS voltage or to the LS voltage in a mutually exclusive manner. The transition between the HS period, during which the HS switch is closed and the LS switch is open, and the LS period, during which the HS switch is open and the LS switch is closed, typically comprises a NOT period, during which the HS switch and the LS switch are both closed. By doing this, a short circuit between the HS voltage and the LS voltage and related damages to the power converter can be avoided.
On the other hand, during the NOT period, a current may flow through the body diodes of transistor-based HS switches and/or LS switches, causing an increased power dissipation. Hence, a relatively long NOT period typically leads to a reduction of the power efficiency of a power converter.